In the past month two reports have found the Government’s economic strategy is pushing our world-renowned natural environment beyond repair – hurting the country and threatening our future.The first report came from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Its 2017 Environmental Performance Review found New Zealand lacks a long-term vision to address the worsening problems we have of polluted water – dying wildlife and disproportionately high greenhouse gas emissions.

The OECD identified that these mounting problems are driven by the Government’s tunnel-vision economic policy – focusing on the export of primary products.

We have put all our eggs in one basket the report was saying and that basket is breaking.

The second report arrived last week from the desk of the Prime Minister’s chief science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman.When interviewed on his report on the state of the country’s freshwater Sir Peter said ‘The reality is we cannot keep going as we have been’.

Share this:

Environment researchers have made fresh calls for a tax on polluters on the back of an OECD report highlighting rising pressures on our green backyard.

Through its new book, Vanishing Nature – the Environmental Defence Society has put forward an environmental consumption tax and rebate as a key reform – which it argues has the potential to tackle environmental degradation while broadening and rebalancing New Zealand’s tax base.

The lead author – EDS senior policy analyst Dr Marie Brown – said it would also help to reduce wealth inequality – could be designed to cut growth-limiting income and company taxes – and fund climate change mitigation.

The tax would effectively put a price on environmental impacts of intensive land uses – such as biodiversity loss – greenhouse gas production – accelerated runoff – and pollution from nutrients – with land area and intensity of use identified from high-resolution satellite imagery and land title information.

An accompanying rebate structure could redistribute part of the revenue raised into funding for conservation and other green activities.

‘But it also has important potential to redistribute our current tax burden away from income – especially low-income earners – address growing inequality – and stimulate innovation’. Dr Brown added: ‘While damage is cheap and carries no consequence for the polluter – and others and future generations bear all costs – the inevitable, unfair result is diminishing prosperity’.

She pointed to this month’s OECD Economic Surveys New Zealand report – which suggested the Government implement progressive ‘land – environment and capital gains taxes to address environmental – economic and social issues’.

Share this:

Dramatic house price growth is burdening Kiwi households with debt and putting the nation’s financial stability at risk – the OECD warns.

A biennial New Zealand economic survey report released today urges policymakers to increase Auckland housing supply – invest in infrastructure – and counter restrictive red tape that is adding up to $110,000 to the cost of new dwellings.

It also recommends introducing congestion charges to tackle choked roads that are costing Auckland’s economy an estimated $1.25 billion annually in lost productivity – and calls for the Government to invest in more public transport and a network of electric vehicle charging stations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

New Zealand’s rampant property market is singled out. The report warns that house prices are high by international standards – fourth in the world relative to income – and second in the world relative to rents – exacerbating poverty and lumping households with mounting debt.